76 Main Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-storey, four-bay mid-terrace Georgian townhouse and former hotel, built as part of the early development of Moira c.1735, with coach entrance. Rectangular plan form with extensive additions to the rear. Located on the north side of the principal thoroughfare through the town of Moira, adjacent to number 74 and 78 Main Street.

The roofing is pitched natural slate with clay ridge tiles with a clipped verge to the left hand gable end. Two brick chimneystacks with no pots over. uPVC rain water goods throughout. The walling is natural finished rubble coursed basalt with galletting and 1 ½ red brick flat arches and surrounds to openings and a smooth rendered plinth. The windows are varying timber sliding sash 6/6 and tripartites, with horns, painted white, with rectangular stone cills. The front entrance door is a six-panelled timber door with a half circle fanlight over, set into an arched opening. The door is flanked by stucco pilasters with cornice head and smooth rendered arch and key-block over.

The principal elevation faces south and is asymmetrically arranged with the front door located left of centre. Tripartite windows are located to ground and first floor on the far left hand side with 6/6 sliding sash elsewhere. On the far right hand side is the elliptical arched coach entrance. Two side hung projecting signs and two fascia signs located over windows. Inappropriate trough lighting installed over left hand fascia sign.

The left gable abuts number 74 Main Street.

The north facing rear elevation has a two-storey lean-to extension, projecting northwards across three bays on the right hand side with an additional single-storey lean-to extension on the far right hand side. The left hand bay over the coach entrance retains 6/6 sliding box sash window, with a small fixed attic light over; all other windows are sliding sash of varying sizes and shapes. The walling to the rear is ruled and lined smooth render.

The right gable abuts number 78 Main Street, Moira.

The building faces directly on to the principal road through Moira with direct entrance off the foot path. The access through the carriageway leads into a rear courtyard of sympathetically constructed commercial properties.

Roofing Natural slate
Walling Basalt random rubble with red brick surrounds, ruled and lined render to the rear
Windows 6/6 Timber sliding sash, 9/9 tripartite sliding sash
RWG PVC

Historical information

Originally built c.1735 as part of the early development of Moira in the early 18th century, credited with the Rawdon family. A date stone inscribed with 1735, located on the façade of a neighbouring building is widely accepted to indicate the completion of the village, during that period of development.

The earliest OS map of 1833 shows the building as part of two long rows of terrace that line the Main Street. In addition to this an L-shaped outbuilding to the rear depicts early development.

The Annual Revisions 1866-78, refers to this building as '21 Town of Moira', and includes what is known today as 76 & 78 Main Street. During this period John Murphy was occupying the building and running a hotel from it. By 1891 the Annual Revisions indicate that the tenancy of the building was taken up by the Ruddell family who ran the hotel for a further 35 years.

The hotel was finally purchased from Margaret Ruddell in 1926 by Susan Heaney. Following Heaneys purchase the Annual Revisions 1920-29 note that the licensed hotel had now become a temperance hotel, discharging its license to sell.

The R.V. Binders valuations 1933-57, make reference to the previous acquisition by the Heaney family and record that it was purchased for the sum of £500 and was in bad repair. The hotel by this stage now only occupied what is presently known as number 76 Main Street.

There is no exact date to suggest how long the building continued to function as a hotel, however in 1975, the 3rd General Revaluation Lists record that the premises was still occupied by the Heaney family, although functioning primarily as a shop with offices, as it continues to do so at the time of survey in 2010.

References – Primary sources

1. PRONI VAL/12B/21/7A – Annual Revisions: 1866-78
2. PRONI VAL/12B/21/7B – Annual Revisions: 1878-93
3. PRONI VAL/12B/21/7C – Annual Revisions: 1894-08
4. PRONI VAL/12B/21/7D – Annual Revisions: 1909-20
5. PRONI VAL/12B/21/7E – Annual Revisions: 1920-29
6. PRONI VAL/12D/3/13A – Field Maps: 1863-79
7. PRONI VAL/12D/3/13C – Field Maps: 1895-14
8. PRONI VAL/12D/3/13E – Field Maps: 1925-35
9. PRONI VAL/12E/109/1 – Town Map: 1906-35
9. PRONI OS/6/3/13 – OS Map: 1833
10. PRONI OS/6/3/13 – OS Map: 1858
11. PRONI OS/6/3/13 – OS Map: 1903
12. PRONI OS/6/3/13 – OS Map: 1916
13. PRONI VAL/3D/4/12F/4 – R.V.Binders: 1933-57
14. PRONI VAL/14A/183/12 – 3rd General Revision Lists: 1975
15. PRONI VAL/14B/256/11A - 3rd General Revision Lists: 1976 – 1987
16. PRONI VAL/14C/248 - 3rd General Revision Lists: 1987 – 1993

References – Secondary sources

17. Canon CRJ Rudd “Moira: A Historical Handbook” - Plantation Press Lisburn 674530 and Moira 619759, c.1992
18. “Moira Rural District: The Offical Guide” - Campaign Publicity Ltd, Undated

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A two-storey Georgian townhouse erected c1735, as part of the early development of Moira, with later improvements during early 19th century. The building displays good style and proportions, some early 19th century 'Wyatt' style windows, a fine doorcase and internally much of the historical fabric of interest is retained despite, minor alteration and adaption. Historically functioning as the town’s hotel, early records show a series of associated extensions and outbuilding to the rear. The present extensions to the rear are modest and do not significantly detract form the character of the building. Centrally located on Main Street, opposite the old courthouse (HB19/22/004), the building, along with the attached townhouse no. 76 Main Street (HB19/22/19B), forms part of an important group, in the centre of Moira.

General comments

Please note this record has been renumbered from HB19/22/019